Ohio Code § 4909.18

§ 4909.18.

Any public utility desiring to establish any rate, joint rate, toll, classification,

charge, or rental, or to modify, amend, change, increase, or reduce any existing rate,

joint rate, toll, classification, charge, or rental, or any regulation or practice

affecting the same, shall file a written application with the public utilities commission.  Except for actions under section 4909.16 of the Revised Code , no public utility may issue the notice of intent to file an application pursuant

to division (B) of section 4909.43 of the Revised Code to increase any existing rate, joint rate, toll, classification, charge, or rental,

until a final order under this section has been issued by the commission on any pending

prior application to increase the same rate, joint rate, toll, classification, charge,

or rental or until two hundred seventy-five days after filing such application, whichever

is sooner.  Such application shall be verified by the president or a vice-president and the

secretary or treasurer of the applicant.  Such application shall contain a schedule of the existing rate, joint rate, toll,

classification, charge, or rental, or regulation or practice affecting the same, a

schedule of the modification amendment, change, increase, or reduction sought to be

established, and a statement of the facts and grounds upon which such application

is based.  If such application proposes a new service or the use of new equipment, or proposes

the establishment or amendment of a regulation, the application shall fully describe

the new service or equipment, or the regulation proposed to be established or amended,

and shall explain how the proposed service or equipment differs from services or equipment

presently offered or in use, or how the regulation proposed to be established or amended

differs from regulations presently in effect.  The application shall provide such additional information as the commission may

require in its discretion.  If the commission determines that such application is not for an increase in any

rate, joint rate, toll, classification, charge, or rental, the commission may permit

the filing of the schedule proposed in the application and fix the time when such

schedule shall take effect.  If it appears to the commission that the proposals in the application may be unjust

or unreasonable, the commission shall set the matter for hearing and shall give notice

of such hearing by sending written notice of the date set for the hearing to the public

utility and publishing notice of the hearing one time in a newspaper of general circulation

in each county in the service area affected by the application.  At such hearing, the burden of proof to show that the proposals in the application

are just and reasonable shall be upon the public utility.  After such hearing, the commission shall, where practicable, issue an appropriate

order within six months from the date the application was filed. If the commission determines that said application is for an increase in any rate,

joint rate, toll, classification, charge, or rental there shall also, unless otherwise

ordered by the commission, be filed with the application in duplicate the following

exhibits: (A) A report of its property used and useful, or, with respect to a natural gas, water-works,

or sewage disposal system company that chooses not to file a forecasted test period

under division (C)(1)(a) of section 4909.15 of the Revised Code , projected to be used and useful, as of the date certain, or during the forecasted

test period, if the application is filed under division (C)(1)(a) of section 4909.15 of the Revised Code , in rendering the service referred to in such application, as provided in sections 4909.042 and 4909.05 of the Revised Code ; (B) A complete operating statement of its last fiscal year, showing in detail all its

receipts, revenues, and incomes from all sources, all of its operating costs and other

expenditures, and any analysis such public utility deems applicable to the matter

referred to in said application; (C) A statement of the income and expense anticipated under the application filed; (D) A statement of financial condition summarizing assets, liabilities, and net worth; (E) Such other information as the commission may require in its discretion.